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WESTERN BETTING RINGS AND PRICES. Every once in a while a story appears telling of a big killing made on a horse race, and the odds obtained at the start are given as HO or 40 to 1, or maybe 15 to 1. Turning to the form chart the reader is surprised to see that 5 or G to 1 is down as the opening odds, and about half of that as the closing. Forthwith the "constant reader" takes his pen in hand and writes to the sporting editor for an explanation. Not long ago there was a tremendous kick registered over the odds sent out on Plantland as 0 to 1, when 00 to 1 was posted. To understand how things like that occur the betting system and the means employed to secure the fair odds must be taken into account. It is not fair to put down odds that are obtained by a few and mighty little money as the opening quotations. Fifty dollars bet on a horse at a race track does not furnish the quotation for thousands bet away from there. Then when a good thing is to he uncorked a lot of bookmakers will lend a hand to the man or men who are engineering the deal by posting odds for observation, not for speculation. They may go as far as to take some money at these figures, especially if they are interested in the commissions that are being placed elcswhere. It is only once in a great while that the men who take the betting for newspapers are caught napping. To avoid being trapped a wait of live minutes conies before any odds are taken down, and then it is on prices on which money is being accepted. Resides watching the opening of the betting the closing must also be observed. Reing aware that the betting at the beginning is watched the wise ones shifted and took closing. They would allow the odds on the horse to soar away up and never bet a dime. As soon as the horses were on their way to the post and the closing prices carried to the newspaper men they would slip in and back the horse away down. They did not get away with that very often and now the odds are watched after the horses go to the post, and if any decided changes take place, they appear the next day. The betting rings in the West these days are very sensitive, and it is possible to back a horse down to nothing without putting up a dollar. Just an attempt to bet is sufficient to make the bookies rub. So from the moment that the betting is posted die racing reporters troubles begin. lie has a tough job in front of him to satisfy every one, as it is almost impossible to fix the absolutely correct belting at any one time. The fluctuations come so quickly and so often that he is compelled to strike a fair average. Those figures gleaned from the slates of conservative bookmakers furnish the basis of the average. Cincinnati Enquirer.
